48o 



RE.\Dixr,-CorRSE for Farmers. 



After you have classified the places in this way, try to determine why 

 you have done so. Almost before you know it, you will hit upon the 

 essentials of a good place. It will be excellent practice to analyze your 

 impressions and to jot down the results. 



Probably the first result of the analysis will be a feeling that you like 

 the place as a whole, for the general impression that the entire scene 

 makes on you, rather than because some particular trees or other objects 

 please you. In other words, the scene is a picture, not merely a collec- 

 tion of objects. If the home scene is a picture, then it almost necessarily 

 has the following points : 



The place is well clothed, or furnished, with trees and shrubbery ; 



The residence is prominent and has a good setting; 



There is an open space or sward ; 



The trees and smaller plants are mostly massed or grouped at the 

 sides or in the rear, rather than scattered all over the place ; 



There are no imnecessary fences, walks or drives ; 



There are no mere curiosities conspicuously placed in the yard, as 

 piles of stones, odd rocks, shells, pieces of statuary ; 



The place is neat and picked up. looking as if it has good care and 

 as if the residents love it. 



3. Sonic specific suggestions 



The commonest fault with farm yards is that they seem to have no 



thought or care be- 

 stowed on them. If 

 care is given them, 

 however, the efifort is 

 likely to be expended 

 in scattering plants 

 here and there or in 

 making '" beds " in the 

 sward ; and this is 

 usually worse than 

 nothing at all. because 

 it emphasizes the 

 value that is placed on 

 individual objects 

 rather than on the 

 place as a whole. 



Fig. 296. — Nature often plants effectively about aban- 

 doned buildings. 



]\Iany persons buy furniture in the same spirit — a certain chair merely 

 because it is handsome as a chair, without considering whether it is in 

 keeping with the house or with the other furniture. ]\Iany houses might 

 well pass for furniture stores ; many yards might well pass as nurseries. 



